Let’s Build KCI! Hundreds Celebrate Historic Groundbreaking for New Terminal at Kansas City International Airport

The Kansas City Aviation Department joined with the City of Kansas City, Mo., major airlines, developer Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate, Clark | Weitz | Clarkson (CWC), organized labor and business representatives, to celebrate the long-awaited launch of the construction phase of a $1.5B modern single terminal at Kansas City International Airport. Hundreds of Kansas Citians attended the event that included the ceremonial first turning of the dirt and the start of demolition activities at Terminal A.

“On behalf of the entire airline community, we are excited to be part of this journey and celebrate such an incredible milestone for the city,” said Kyle O’Neal, Senior Regional Leader, Airport Affairs at Southwest Airlines. “The new terminal will support more efficient airline operations and allow airport users to enjoy the convenience of modern air travel in a facility with updated technology and amenities, close parking, spacious gate areas, and ample food and beverage options.”

At just over one million square feet, the Kansas City International Airport New Terminal is the largest single infrastructure project in the City’s history. It will have a profound and lasting economic impact on the region in the form of new jobs, opportunities for local and small businesses, and a first-class traveler experience for airport users. The facility will open with 39gates and the ability to expand up to 50 gates in the future. The project will also include a 6,300space parking structure, which will be constructed adjacent to the terminal building, a central utility plant, and landside and airside improvements.

“We’re excited to move forward on this landmark project for Kansas City and eager to put men and women to work,” said Geoff Stricker, Edgemoor Managing Director. “This has been a great partnership with the City and airline partners, and we look forward to building on that to delivering an exceptional new terminal for travelers and the airlines alike.”

Edgemoor has partnered with design-builder Clark | Weitz | Clarkson (CWC) to construct the New Terminal. The construction joint venture, which is comprised of Clark Construction Group, LLC, The Weitz Company, and Clarkson Construction Company, has collectively delivered more than 40 aviation projects nationwide; Skidmore Owings & Merrill is the project designer.

The New Terminal project is expected to generate up to 5,000 construction-related jobs. Sixty local partners are already at work on the project, including 41 minority- and women-owned businesses. Edgemoor has pledged to maximize opportunities for local minority and women-owned firms, setting ambitious participation goals for 20% minority-owned and 15% women-owned businesses for professional and construction services, respectively.

The new KCI is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to benefit working families and our broader community in a number of ways,” said Alise Martiny with the Greater Kansas City Building & Construction Trades Council. “Kansas City has one of the strongest and best qualified labor communities in the country. This will be an outstanding project with all the skilled trades and crafts from throughout our region, working together.”

The New Terminal project will be funded using 100 percent tax-exempt debt – the most cost efficient approach for the project. When complete, the new facility will replace the airport’s aging terminals, which opened in 1972.

“With the launch of the ‘Build KCI’ phase of the project, it will serve as the official source for up-to-the-minute construction news for passengers and members of the greater Kansas City community,” said Pat Klein Kansas City Aviation Director. “We will continue to champion the benefits of the new single terminal and how it will be a valued asset to Kansas City.”

The New Terminal will be built in the footprint of the airport’s existing Terminal A, which has been decommissioned. Interior demolition operations will begin this spring; structural demolition is expected to begin to mid to late-April. The new terminal is expected to open in early 2023.

About Edgemoor Infrastructure and Real Estate A leader in the development, financing, and operations of public buildings, infrastructure, and commercial real estate, Edgemoor has delivered (or has under construction) more than $3 billion public-private partnerships (P3s) nationally, including the KU Central District Development project in Lawrence, KS, the Long Beach Courthouse and Long Beach Civic Center projects in Long Beach, CA, and the Howard County Circuit Courthouse. Edgemoor was selected by the City of Kansas City, Missouri, to lead the development, design, and construction of a new single terminal at Kansas City International Airport.

For more information on the KCI New Terminal project, or the Edgemoor Team, visit kci-edgemoor.com, follow kciedgemoor on Twitter or like KCI-Edgemoor on Facebook.

About Clark | Weitz | Clarkson, A Joint Venture Clark | Weitz | Clarkson (CWC) is a joint venture team comprised of Bethesda, Md.-based Clark Construction Group, LLC, The Weitz Company, and Kansas City heavy civil contractor, Clarkson Construction. CWC is a member of the greater Edgemoor Team and responsible for leading design and construction efforts on the KCI New Terminal project. The team boasts a combined 400 years of construction experience and has successfully delivered complex airport projects across the country, including work at Los Angeles International Airport, Houston Hobby Airport, Dulles International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Reagan National Airport, Tampa International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, and Midway Airport, among others.

For more information on the KCI New Terminal’s construction procurement process, visit cwcjv.com.

The Kansas City Airport System is an Enterprise Fund Department of the City of Kansas City, Mo., and is supported wholly by airport user charges. No general fund tax revenues are used for the administration, promotion, operation, or maintenance of the airports in the system. For information on the KCI New Terminal project, visit BuildKCI.com or follow @BuildKCI on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Visit flykci.com and find us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.